The Jordon Ibe story part five - from Derby County to derby debut

Jordan Ibe celebrates with Johnny Russell after scoring the first goal for Derby

Share

Get Liverpool FC updates directly to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing!

Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email

And so to this season. After another pre-season in which he featured heavily, it came as something of a surprise when Jordon Ibe was loaned back to the Championship, joining Derby County on a season-long deal in August.

But under the tutelage of Steve McClaren, an acclaimed coach of young players, he adjusted well to life at the iPro Stadium.

Playing across the forward line, Ibe made 24 appearances in total, scoring five times, and impressing with his development from a raw individual talent into a rounded team player.

“When he first came, we gave Jordon a ball on his own and gave the team the other ball,” McClaren said in December.

“Now, he's learning to be a team player and developing into that. He's learning he needs to add end product to his game.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

“His all-round game has improved, his defensive responsibilities, his work-rate, his concentration. But the biggest thing is becoming a team player.”

Ibe's improvement did not go unnoticed at Liverpool, who would regular send scouts to Derby games to report back on his progress.

And when January came, Rodgers, who had been thwarted in efforts to bring forward Divock Origi's transfer from Lille, opted to exercise the recall option in Ibe's initial loan deal.

His last game for Derby was a vital win at Ipswich on January 10 – a week later he was coming off the bench for Liverpool at Aston Villa.

And within three weeks, he was starting a Merseyside derby. As a right wing back.

“That was maybe the one thing that surprised me,” says Gary Waddock, who gave Ibe his professional debut as a 15-year-old. “I had no doubt he could handle a big game, and that he had the talent, but as a right wing-back? That shows how much he has come on as a player.”

Ibe, as tends to be his way, handled the occasion impressively, coming within a whisker of marking his derby debut with the most spectacular of goals.

“This is a real springboard for him,” Rodgers said afterwards. “There is no greater pressure than a Goodison game with that intensity, so to come and play like he did, showing that confidence and temperament, was outstanding.”

Ibe was similarly impressive three days later as Liverpool beat Tottenham at Anfield, and showed maturity and intelligence in subsequent showings against Besiktas (twice) and Southampton.

A knee injury, unfortunately timed, has halted his upwards trajectory since, but only briefly.

Make no mistake, Jordon Ibe's star is on the rise. It will take something major to stop this talent from flourishing.